Bilic plays it cagey on £12m striker

Slaven Bilic has still not given the green light to the board for the signing of Brentford’s Scott Hogan.

The player has been regularly checked by recruitment director to the board Tony Henry but the manager needs to give the final approval and that still hasn’t happened.

Indeed CandH insiders are insisting that no deal has been agreed with the Bees at this stage despite reports of a £12 million agreement.

There have been talks and it could still happen but at this stage no final agreement is on the table and Bilic is continuing to take his time.

The manager has long insisted – even in the dark days – that he is happy with his squad and it was only Angelo Ognonna’s need for surgery that prompted the move for Jose Fonte.

There’s a belief that with Andy Carroll fit and firing he may be sweating on an earlier than expected return to action from Diafra Sakho.

The Senegal striker is making decent progress and there is an optimistic view held by some that he could be back towards the back end of February.

We were told that Slaven is expected to give a final decision on Hogan over the next couple of days but has given “no real indication of his final feelings at this stage.”